Minding your Ps & Qs
A discussion on lead generation methods, communicating more effectively and considering what really gives top agencies an edge.
From the archives: An Interview with Kimi Gilbert of The Future Factory for The Annual Digest. Interview by Abb-d Choudhury & Sara Scobie.
We spent a crisp wintry London morning with Kimi Gilbert discussing lead generation methods, communicating more effectively and considering what really gives top agencies an edge. Kimi is the Training & Development Director at the Future Factory, a London-based business consultancy, delivering new business and lead generation solutions for digital, comms & creative agencies.
Originally from the US, after stints in Berlin and Vienna, Kimi gravitated to new business consultancy and has worked at The Future Factory since its inception in 2011. Kimi informed us, “It’s been an absolute pleasure seeing the business grow from our early days working from Dan Sudron’s (one of the co-founders) living room in Lewisham to a 45-person business based in London Bridge.”
WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU RECENTLY WITHIN THE CREATIVE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRIES?
We’ve noticed agencies seem to think ‘integrated’ is the way forward and that the more strings to their bow, the more likely they are to win new business. From a cold new business perspective, integrated agencies are the most difficult to sell. Decision makers often think they’re the ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ and that it’s preferable to spearhead a new business approach with a single, strong specialism.
WHAT HAS WORKING WITH MANY CREATIVE, COMMUNICATION AND DIGITAL AGENCIES TAUGHT YOU?
We’ve worked with over 300 hundred agencies; it’s so important each one finds a way to differentiate themselves and that they communicate their differences when speaking to brands. How can you expect a decision maker to commission your agency if you sound exactly the same as their incumbent creative team and everyone else out there?
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING AGENCIES IN THE PAST YEAR – AND WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR FUTURE?
There is a rise of the one man band, which could be an industry game changer. Large agencies can be seen as expensive and clunky whereas specialists are like hitmen when a brand needs to get a specific creative task done. The beauty of a freelancer or specialist is that some brands are starting to feel they’re just an email or phone call away without the bureaucracy that comes with some large agencies. The challenge here for individuals is perfecting your approach to procurement and building trust.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE YOU SEEING AS A RESULT?
There seems to be a growing space for collaboration amongst agencies. Small complementary agencies are partnering up, which can be a pragmatic way to approach new business rather than a guarded approach. We’re seeing clients with internal creative teams who are open to upscaling their capabilities with external creative help, delivering much richer results.
Companies need to address how to foster a culture of keeping good staff and allowing them to flourish within a business.
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL STYLE FOR NEW BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE AND CAN IT BE USED AS AN EFFECTIVE LEAD GENERATION APPROACH?
It’s simply a case of research, picking up the phone and sending emails. It’s also cost effective for small businesses. To work out who to contact at large brands, consider the job title of the person you liaise with from your current client list. You can then look for companies in a similar space or with a similar target audience on LinkedIn and reach out.
The average marketing decision maker at a tier-1 brand in the UK will receive about 300 cold new business emails per week. The way to cut through the noise is to do your homework. The majority of these emails will have typos, misspelt names and mis-matching fonts, showing it’s a cut and paste job. If you mind your Ps and Qs you’re over the first hurdle. If your email is targeted, demonstrates company research, maybe even comments on blog posts, company content or references the recipient’s LinkedIn profile, your email’s chance of being read improves greatly. Who doesn’t like to receive thoughtful, complimentary correspondence?
Check your offering is compelling to the recipient. They are most likely time starved. What would be the benefit or opportunity for them? They most likely won’t have time for a portfolio run through but if you can identity and offer a smart solution to a problem there might be room for discussion.
HOW CAN SMALL TEAMS OR INDIVIDUALS SHARPEN THEIR APPROACH FOR NEW BUSINESS AND GETTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE?
I have three simple tips. Try sending your emails on a Tuesday evening and if you don’t get a reply to your first email, send a follow-up email exactly one week later. Before sending an email read it out loud – this flags any cringe lines and highlights if the email is too focused on yourself.
ARE THERE SMART WAYS TO GET IN FRONT OF A DREAM BRAND OR TO GET THAT SOUGHT AFTER COLLABORATION?
Once you get your first response, don’t be shy about asking the contact why they agreed to the meeting, what their challenges are or how they would like to use the time ahead of a coffee.This can be the difference between a productive first meeting and not really getting anywhere. Some of the best agencies will take their diary out at the end of the meeting and note next steps and future meetings. Set clear steps moving forward and deliver proposals (or anything else) by the date you say you will.
WHAT IS GOOD SELF PROMO?
Focused newsletters that tie into your agency’s offering are a simple way of keeping on people’s radar whilst highlighting key news, wins and relevant updates. Speaking at events isn’t for everyone but can bring with it great opportunities. If you want to position your agency as a thought leader, a captivating active blog is a great way to share insightful expertise.
Unless we’re expanding our knowledge and challenging ourselves to learn new things, how can we expect to be the best at what we do?
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING BUSINESS TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT?
I believe people are only as good as they are today, myself included. Unless we’re expanding our knowledge and challenging ourselves to learn new things, how can we expect to be the best at what we do? Historically we put a lot of effort on training and looking for the next new talent, but what about retention of long standing staff? It’s hard keeping good people. Society seems to always be looking for the next best thing and it can be hard keeping great hires. Companies need to address how to foster a culture of keeping good staff and allowing them to flourish within a business.
The bigger picture is that training and development enhances communication skills, challenges our approach to problem solving and encourages critical thinking. Training may take up valuable working hours but ultimately, sharpening and challenging your team potentially sets your business apart from competitors.
IS THERE A BLUEPRINT FOR DIVERSIFYING AND ENHANCING YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
I don’t have a blueprint or a silver bullet but one thing that’s worked well for The Future Factory is talking to our clients, asking what services they feel are missing in the industry and seeing whether it is something we could develop internally. So working backwards almost.
It’s wise to regularly check in with the skills you have as a team. For example, the training and design services we offer agencies came about in part because we already had those skills in-house.
For small agencies and solo freelancers, don’t be afraid of saying to clients that you’re keen to grow. Ask if there are additional areas or services your clients would like to see you offer. Having open conversations helps define the ways you work without playing the guessing game.
ARE THERE ANY TOOLS OR APPS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND PROFESSIONALS USE TO SHARPEN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT?
Pipedrive – A Sales Customer-relationship and pipeline management solution that enables businesses to plan their sales activities. There are lots of tools available but we recommend this to our clients as a way to manage new business.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TAKE AWAY LESSON FROM 2018 AND WHAT HAS IT TAUGHT YOU?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learnt is don’t get complacent, neither in your personal relationships (partners, friendships) nor at work. If you’re unhappy with something, you need to say it – how else can you and the people around you work to make it better?
I think the way to adapt and find creative space in the already busy market is to play nice.
WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT IN 2019?
I’ll be watching for the rise of brands’ in-house departments. I think the way to adapt and find creative space in the already busy market is to play nice. By this I mean working alongside in-house teams and bolstering your offering through collaboration. What processes and skills can your agency or studio bring to an already talented in-house creative team? When doing lead generation, include a caveat that you appreciate the client may already have a talented in-house team, though you’re open to seeing if your skills could complement and enhance their creative. Demonstrating you’ve considered a potential stumbling block from the get go could be the difference between instant dismissal and opening up a new conversation.
FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO PUSH THEIR LIMIT, WHAT THREE BOOKS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?
The Trusted Advisor – David Maister – Transforms the way you approach new business meetings.
You Are A Message – Guillaume Wolf – A playful approach to helping you think about your business in a new way.
The World of Yesterday – Stefan Zweig’s – Die Welt von Gestern – A beautifully written autobiography (read it in the original if you speak German!) written in the first half of the 20th century, it holds many relevant truths for today’s reader. A book that pushes you to see the world through a different lens.
From the archives: An Interview with Kimi Gilbert of The Future Factory for The Annual Digest. Interview by Abb-d Choudhury & Sara Scobie.